What skills would you like to learn before the SHTF?

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Back when I hunted, typically, you only shot them when they weren't moving (or were barely moving), so you'd probably be pretty decent at it. The harder part is knowing how to treat the carcass and doing that. Taking the shot is the easy part.


even moving you can get a kill when i was 12 i shot a deer that was running away from the drivers (people walking thats jumping deer up) and i shot like i normally would and hit his heind leg we had to cut a whole in his throat to finish him but i still killed him (he was a 8pt and it was my first deer shot)
at that age i didnt know to hold infront of him to hit him in the heart or lung
its still not that hard
gl to everyone with their list i have to go back out and weedeat ill post mine in a little bit
 
Welding
Bettter plant ID
Food storage without a fridge
better at gunsmithing
emergency medical , gsw, bites, major cuts.
Ham raido sounds pretty good, looking into getting one.
TEACHING my wife and son the basics I know.
 
I got some odd skills for most people. I'm a semi professional smith. I can build tools if I need too, i can make anything from a simple iron stake or hinge up to a suit of hardened steel armor. Been at it for almost 20 years on and off. Got a pile of non electric "pre industrial" tools. Stakes, anvils Beverly shears, punches etc. Also got hand drills and draw knives for working wood, reenacting multiple eras teaches you a good number of primitive skills. I can make my own shoes if i have too, tan a hide etc etc.
I also have a pretty good base on tactical and 1st aid from the Army and Law enforcement.

My skill deficit is in the area most people are over trained now a days, tech and computers. I suck at them. I'm also a pretty bad auto mechanic. And coms, i'm bordering on being a luddite i guess.

I need to learn:
Ham radio
Engines
how to wire up a solar cell array and backup batteries.
I'd like to learn scuba.
I'd like to learn to sail
get better at animal husbandry
computers
i'm an ok gardener, i wanna learn farm
tig and mig welding (i got a guy for that, but i mainly forge weld what i need to weld)
i need to learn local edible flora, what grew back home in the Saw grass don't live here on Hoth.
 
I'd like to learn to make clothes and stuff from hide. And expand on my current, almost Eagle Scout level, skills, I have some basic tactical knowledge and I'm a really good shot with a bow and most guns, I lack a little in shotguns, and I can track ok. I can fish and I'm working on trapping. As for radio I would like to learn it but not get licensed. I think the license is overrated I'd rather know it and move on to the next skill than fiddle with the formalities.
 
I'd like to learn to make clothes and stuff from hide. And expand on my current, almost Eagle Scout level, skills, I have some basic tactical knowledge and I'm a really good shot with a bow and most guns, I lack a little in shotguns, and I can track ok. I can fish and I'm working on trapping. As for radio I would like to learn it but not get licensed. I think the license is overrated I'd rather know it and move on to the next skill than fiddle with the formalities.
I wouldnt get licensed either that is just another registry they keep of people and depending on administration in charge of the list .... you never know how this will be used. but it is a good skill to have anyway. I would like to know how to shot better yet hunt but money is short now and I dont know how you find someone to teach you hunting if you A dont own land, B dont know anything or anybody who knows how to hunt, and C dont own said gun. :) but I live in Texas so Gun companies and guns wont be in short supply any time soon so I have time.
 

might try practice ranges in your area..some of them might even have a weapon you can rent/lease for practice...and if you know of any deer lease's,that could be of help as well..
 
I need to learn how to clean an animal after killing it. Also more medical stuff. I probably should become more proficient at reloading.....
Better learn what I can and can't eat.

I'll try to remember to take pictures or video at deer camp. For small game it's pretty simple, you pull out the guts then take off the skin. For deer it's a bit more complicated if you don't want to contaminate the meat. You don't want fecal natter, urine or the organ fluids (like from the prostate gland) to touch the meat. Fecal matter is swarming with bacteria.

A doe is much easier to properly clean than a buck. The biggest problem is getting the bladder out without breaking it. I use a small zip tie to tie off the top of the bladder, then cut above the zip tie.

There are three basic ways to skin a deer. Head up, head down, and on the ground. I carry a block and tackle with me hunting so I never have to skin a deer on the ground. If it will be hours before you can get the deer to a skinning rack, you want to field dress it, which is simply cutting open the abdomen and removing the intestines and stomach. Since the hide protects the meat from contamination, you don't have to be as careful.

We weigh the deer at the skinning rack and record the live weight, so we don't field dress our deer, we just get them to the skinning rack ASAP.

With the head down method, you use a gambrel to spread the hind legs and support the weight of the deer while cleaning it. A gambrel looks like a heavy duty coat hanger with hooks on each side that go through slits cut behind the deer's Achilles tendons. We use one that is made from a 2x4 and heavy duty screw hooks.
gambrel.jpg

With the head up method, the deer is often strung up by the antlers.

Butchering is really the hard part with a deer. The way I do it is basically to separate the muscles. It's a lot of work, but results in a lot more good meat than just hacking up the deer.

Each muscle is vacuum packed, unless it is too large, like the backstraps, in which case it is cut in half before vacuum packing.

I leave some fat on for freezing to protect the meat, but when I thaw the meat, everything that is not RED meat is trimmed off. No matter how careful you are, there will be some surface meat that is brown. CUT IT OFF AND THROW IT AWAY!!!! Not only does the brown meat smell bad and taste bad, it may have E Coli bacteria. KEEP YOUR KNIFE CLEAN!!!

If you do it right, the meat you are left with after trimming should look and smell like freshly bought beef steak. If a buck was killed during the rut, or had been running before being shot, there will be a sour smell from lactic acid build up. The meat is still good, but requires plenty of spices like garlic to offset the sour taste.
 
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That's a pretty good list.
I'm working on hand to hand combat and spending time at the pistol range.
I'm great with a rifle, but totally useless with a pistol right now.
Also trying to be a better farmer and learning about electricity.
 
Planting and growing. I don't really know anything beyond the very very basics. Also never actually hunted or processed an animal. There's a good thread on that somewhere around here but I've never done it myself.
 
Got a pile of non electric "pre industrial" tools. Stakes, anvils Beverly shears, punches etc. Also got hand drills and draw knives for working wood

Something I've recently embarked on. Getting such tools. For now, they are basically decoration in the garage, but come SHTF, they'll be fine for use, as they are fully functional tools.
 
I'm taking up archery, I need to learn more first aid skills, I would love to know all about plants. I would like to map out all the hiding places near me.
And i'd love some super powers too....Now that would be cool! lol
 

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